Schools
· Whitianga
Coromandel Outdoor Language Centre
Description
Whitianga, a city of 4,000 inhabitants is found on the
Coromandel Peninsula and is the cradle of the Maori culture.
The Center was founded in 1988 with the purpose of offering
a high level of teaching of the English language. The
Center owns two schools in the area: one is found in Whangamata,
a seaside city with a port and hills covered in forest.
The other school is located on Mercury Bay in Whitianga,
a historical place in New Zealand as it is here that the
first Maori set foot in New Zealand. It also boasts extensive
beaches of white sand.
Both Schools have a capacity for 45 students and offer
a relaxed and pleasant atmosphere that combines English
classes with recreational activities that allow students
to learn and enjoy the experience of living in New Zealand.
Accommodation
The School recommends students stay in family homes. The
host families are carefully selected and all feel privileged
to have the chance of introducing students into New Zealand
customs and experiences. Students can choose between single
and double rooms.
Academics
The School offers full time English courses that are combined
with afternoon activities that help to stimulate English
conversation. The range of activities is broad and includes
visits to farms, outings on horseback or on boats, hikes
or windsurfing. Classes in the morning last 3 hours and
have a maximum of 10 students. Books with modern teaching
methods are used, as well as other material that helps
classes become dynamic and stimulating. The School also
offers 12-week courses for exam preparation, among which
are the Cambridge First Certificate, the TOEFL and the
IELTS.
Activities
The School organizes activities on Fridays and on weekends,
that include visits to historic sites on the peninsula,
outings to museums and arts and crafts shops, and playing
sports, specially during the summer given that the beaches
of the area are perfect for water sports such as kayaking,
surfing or canoeing.
